


Under a Gathering Storm

by shions_heart



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Alternate Universe - Final Haikyuu Quest, Confessions, Demons, Final Haikyuu Quest, First Kiss, M/M, Magic, Undercover Missions
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-07
Updated: 2020-01-07
Packaged: 2021-02-27 11:55:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,100
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22156654
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/shions_heart/pseuds/shions_heart
Summary: Kozume Kenma is a spy for the Grand King, tasked with reporting the movements of Prince Shouyou to the Grand King's right hand, a demon Kenma's named "Kuro."What he doesn't expect is that, through these various meetings, he would grow fond of Kuro, or that Kuro would grow fond of him, as well, leading to a revealing encounter on a stormy day.
Relationships: Kozume Kenma/Kuroo Tetsurou
Comments: 17
Kudos: 266





	Under a Gathering Storm

**Author's Note:**

  * For [nagisaizumi](https://archiveofourown.org/users/nagisaizumi/gifts).



> Mello2Yello on twitter commissioned me to write this for their girlfriend as a Christmas gift!
> 
> so glad to hear you liked it, nagisaizumi! I hope others enjoy as well~

Kenma stands at the edge of a forest at the top of a hill, staring off across the valley and fields below toward the stone castle that rises in the distance. He leans on his staff, sighing softly, turning his eyes to the darkening clouds above, as lightning crackles through them and the scent of rain rises in the air. He wrinkles his nose. The last thing he needs is to get caught in a downpour.

From behind, he senses a new presence, approaching from just beyond the darkness of the treeline, watching him.

“You’re late,” Kenma states flatly.

A soft chuckle sounds, and the being is closer now than before. Turning, Kenma swings his staff. A clawed hand catches it in mid-air, and the demon standing there gives him a crooked smile.

“Kozume,” he greets, with too much affection for the situation.

Kenma feels his cheeks warm, and he yanks his staff out from the demon’s grasp. Kuro, as he calls the demon (“Black? That’s not very original.” “You want to tell me your real name, then?” “So you can curse me whenever you want? No thanks.”), settles down on a nearby boulder, crossing his legs as he grins over at Kenma.

“Well? I’m here. What news do I bring back to our king? Or did you call me here just to see my handsome face?”

Kenma remains standing, turning from Kuro to once more look out toward the castle. When he speaks, he keeps his tone measured, no inflection, no emotion. This is just business, no matter how much Kuro wants to play at their meetings being otherwise.

“Prince Shouyou has decided to lead the rescue team himself. He’s selected three other warriors, including myself, to travel with him into the Grand King’s territory. They don’t realize Princess Yui was never the real target. I’ll make sure they remain oblivious.”

Kuro leans forward, his elbow on one knee. “The Grand King also wanted to know—”

“Yes, Iwaizumi Hajime is one of the warriors.”

“Excellent.”

Kenma taps his staff against the ground absently. That’s all he has to say, which honestly could’ve been sent through his crystal. He tells himself he only insists on meeting face-to-face because he can ensure nobody overhears.

"Is that all?” Kuro prompts, and Kenma can hear the smug tone in his voice. He knows they don't have to meet in person.

Kenma keeps his gaze on the castle. “Yes.”

“Well! The Grand King will be pleased,” Kuro says, hopping off the boulder to stand. Reaching over, he flicks back the hood of Kenma’s robes.

Kenma swerves away quickly, grabbing it before it can fall and yanking it forward once more.

“You’ve covered them well. I can’t even see the glamour.”

Kenma gives him a look. “I’m not the only mage in the castle.”

“You’re stronger than them, though.” Kuro says this flippantly, like it’s a given, and Kenma blinks.

The demon stands over a head taller than Kenma, and the curved horns on either side of his head increase his height. He wears red robes over his black clothes that are not at all subtle, but Kenma has come to expect ostentation from Kuro. He’s almost always wearing a smirk of some kind, like he knows something you don’t, but right now he’s looking at Kenma with a grin, crooked but sincere, and Kenma doesn’t know what to do with that expression.

He looks away. “I have to be stronger, otherwise my cover will be blown,” he says flatly.

“Mm, a shame you have to hide your true self, though.” Reaching over, Kuroo tugs lightly at Kenma’s white robes. “Can I see them?”

“What? No.” Kenma frowns, pulling the hood further down his forehead, as he shifts away. “I gave you my report. You can go now.”

Kuro’s smirking again. The bastard. “Shy, are we?”

“No, I’m annoyed.” Kenma turns, deciding if Kuro won’t leave, he will.

Stepping into the trees, he heads back down the way he came earlier, avoiding the path and muttering a spell under his breath to hide his tracks. Despite this, Kuro follows him. With another spell, Kenma goes invisible.

“I can still smell you, even if I can’t see you,” Kuro points out.

Kenma frowns. “Don’t be creepy,” he snaps, as he quickens his pace. “Stop following me.”

“I came this way, too!”

Kenma stops abruptly, and Kuro runs into his back with a surprised “oof!” Stepping aside, Kenma drops his invisibility and gestures for Kuro to move past him.

Kuro doesn’t move. “This will be the last time I see you until the ambush. Even then, the Grand King will have to throw you in the dungeon with the rest to keep your cover intact.”

“I’m prepared for that outcome.”

“I just want to have a proper goodbye! We’ve been meeting every week for nine months!”

“Ours is a work relationship. Nothing more.”

“That’s not true. You like me.”

Kenma takes a step back, hating that his face feels warm again. He turns his eyes to the forest floor, stabbing his staff further into the dirt with a vicious twist. “I . . . do not.”

“Why else would you insist on meeting in person when we can communicate through our crystals?” Kuro pulls a small crystal ball out from his robes to demonstrate. With a wave of his hand, a miniature Kenma appears in the center of it, a mirror image of how he stands now. “See how easy and simple it is? Yet you make the trek all the way out here, despite the fact that you’re so lazy you use your magic to bring books to you in bed!”

Kenma wrinkles his nose. “You use that to spy on me?”

“What?! No!” Now Kuro appears flustered. He quickly waves his hand over the ball again. The tiny Kenma disappears, and Kuro hastily shoves it back into his robes. “Of course not!” The flush that’s rising on his cheeks says otherwise. “I just . . . assumed. I mean, you did the same when we were kids in the barracks.”

Kenma blinks. Kuro remembers that? Years ago, before they came to work for the Grand King, they’d been bred and raised as soldiers for his army, with numbers instead of names. Kenma showed a knack for magic and was taken in as a sorcerer’s apprentice, leaving the rest of his brethren behind before he reached his teens.

Kuro would’ve been a part of that group that he left behind, but Kenma doesn’t remember them ever interacting those days before he was chosen.

They met again by chance, when the Grand King selected Kenma to be his undercover eyes and ears in King Ukai’s castle. He introduced Kuro as “One,” his right-hand man, his official bodyguard and advisor. Kenma was to report any and all information to him directly, and Kuro would take the news to the king.

Come to think of it, when Kenma saw Kuro in that throne room, there had been a flicker of recognition in the demon’s eyes. Kenma thought nothing of it at the time.

“You remember the barracks?” Kenma asks on impulse, gripping his staff tightly.

Kuro grows still, his flush fading as he tilts his head. “Of course I do. That place was hell. Always cold, terrible food, I was tired and sore all the time from merciless training. But even though you had to be the same, you always stayed up past lights out, reading those spell books and the history of magic. I wasn’t surprised at all when Shimizu chose you to be her apprentice.” He grins crookedly. “Just disappointed I couldn’t go with you.”

“You didn’t even know me. You still don’t,” Kenma insists, shaking his head.

“You’re right. I don’t. But I admire you. Your intelligence, your tenacity, your creativity, your bravery . . . You inspire me to do better in my own duties.” Kuro lifts his hands to the side. “You’re incredible, so why wouldn’t I want to spend more time with you?”

Kenma stares down at the dirt between his feet, scowling furiously in an attempt to stop the heat from spreading across his entire face. He doesn’t know what to do or say to any of that. This is all news to him, and he feels completely unprepared to deal with any of it. His mission is about to become ten times more dangerous, as he travels in close quarters with men who are his enemy. They’ll attack him in an instant if he lets his guard down and his glamour slips. If that occurs, he’ll have failed, and he doesn’t know what will happen to him then.

“Ah, shit.” Kuro scruffs his hand through his hair, between the curve of his horns. “Look, if I went too far, I’m sorry. I’m just trying my best to say that I like you, and I think you like me too. So why don’t we drop the pretense? Wouldn’t that make it easier?”

Kenma twists his staff further into the dirt. “It’s not that simple,” he mutters.

“Kuroo Tetsurou,” Kuro says at the same time.

Kenma looks up with a jolt of surprise. “What?”

Kuro smiles at him. “My name. My real name.”

Kenma stares. “Why would you tell me that?”

Kuro’s smile widens. “Because I trust you.”

You shouldn’t, Kenma thinks viciously. You’re a fool to trust anyone who lives a lie.

“Besides,” Kuro adds nonchalantly, folding his hands into the sleeves of his robes. “I figure if you ever curse me, I’ll deserve it.” His grin now is self-deprecating, and Kenma has a feeling he means that.

“I could kill you,” Kenma reminds him flatly.

“You won’t,” Kuroo insists confidently.

“How can you be so sure?”

“Because, you like me.”

“No, I don’t.” Kenma scowls.

“You do.”

“Do not.”

“Do too.”

Kenma sputters, not about to have an argument this childish in the middle of the woods with a storm coming in. He can smell it in the air: the humidity rising. Already the wind has picked up, rustling the tree branches above them, sending small animals skittering into their homes. The sky has darkened, and he can hear the rumble of thunder growing closer.

Turning, he begins walking once more. “I have to return to the castle. It won’t be long before—”

A loud crack directly overhead cuts him off with a burst of light on his right. Kenma flinches, shielding his eyes, and the next moment Kuro grabs him around the waist and yanks him out of the way of a falling tree. It crashes to the forest floor in front of them, flames licking through its split center.

Kenma’s heart thuds rapidly in his chest, and he can feel the quickened heartbeat of Kuro behind him, as he keeps a firm grip around Kenma. The downpour begins a second later, drenching them both instantly, as sharp pellets of water rain down on them.

“I know a place we can wait out this storm,” Kuro shouts into his ear. “Follow me.”

He releases his hold, but grabs Kenma’s hand instead, pulling him to the left, around the blackened tree and deeper into the forest. Kenma grips his staff, trying also to hold his hood over his eyes to keep his vision clear. It’s difficult to walk very fast with the staff knocking against his knees, but he manages to keep up.

Kuro’s destination turns out to be a small cave, carved into the side of a tall cliff. It’s not very deep, and Kuro has to duck his head to keep his horns from scraping the ceiling, but it’s dry, and Kenma pulls his hand out of Kuro’s. He sits, shivering in the dark, his fingers trembling as he draws in the air, muttering a spell through chattering teeth.

A flame appears, burning brighter as he pushes it forward. It hovers just above the ground, a magical campfire that casts a warm, orange glow around the interior of the cave. Kenma holds his hands out, basking in its warmth, and watches out of the corner of his eye, as Kuro settles down beside him and does the same.

It’s quiet, aside from the loud thunder and sound of rain from outside. As the silence drags on, Kenma squirms. He knows what he has to say, but it’s difficult, especially since he isn’t sure how Kuro will respond.

“Thank you,” he murmurs finally. “For saving me back there.”

“Oh.” Kuro sounds surprised. “You don’t have to thank me for that. I’d do it again in a heartbeat.”

Kenma sighs, pushing the hood of his robes back from his head, annoyed by the way it’s soaking into his scalp. He shakes his hair out of his eyes. It’s difficult to maintain the glamour while also concentrating on the fire, so he lets it fall, pursing his lips and awaiting Kuro’s reaction.

He doesn’t say anything, surprisingly. Instead, his hand lifts, drifting toward the small brown horns that sit on either side of Kenma’s head. Frowning, Kenma turns to grab his wrist tightly, stopping it in mid-air.

“Did I say you could touch?” he asks in a low voice.

Kuro freezes before chuckling, though he sounds nervous. “Sorry. I just . . . haven’t seen them in so long.” He tugs against Kenma’s grasp gently until Kenma releases him. “What do you think will happen once the Grand King gets what he wants? Will you return to the palace? Work beside him? Or do you think you’ll be sent on another mission?”

Kenma turns toward the fire once more. “How am I supposed to know?” he mutters. “I can’t tell the future.”

Kuro doesn’t speak again for a long moment. Outside, the wind whistles and moans, and the rain continues. A brilliant flash of white light illuminates the dark outlines of the trees, before thunder booms overhead. The storm doesn’t appear to be slowing any time soon.

“I’ll miss you if you’re sent away again. I look forward to our weekly meetings, but it was better when I could see you every day.”

Kenma frowns over at Kuro, ignoring the way his heart seems to skip a beat. “If you felt this way, why did you never say anything until now? I didn’t even know who you were before the Grand King introduced us in his throne room before my mission.”

“You’re pretty intimidating! Even back then.” Kuroo shakes his head. “I was a nobody. You had magic. Everyone knew you were special, and I figured I never stood a chance. I still don’t, but my confidence has risen somewhat.” He grins.

Kenma shakes his head. “You think I care about stuff like that?” He frowns at the fire in front of them. “It doesn’t matter if someone has magic or not or is king or not. What matters is what they do, how they act, speak, interact with others. A king can be a nobody and a peasant can be special. It all depends on what type of impact they leave on those around them.”

Kuro falls silent again, appearing to think on that. Kenma draws his legs up underneath him, kneeling in the dirt of the cave and wondering absently how difficult it’ll be to clean his white robes free from all the mud and dirt.

“What kind of impact have I left on you, then?” Kuro asks finally.

Kenma sighs. He doesn’t want to do this. Not here, in this dank cave in the middle of a storm when he’s soaked through and filthy and tired and still has to make his way back to the castle after all this.

“I . . . know we don’t have to meet in person,” Kenma admits finally, wishing he could sink into the earth to escape this conversation.

“Oh?” Kuro sounds so damn hopeful, it makes Kenma’s chest ache.

“I haven’t given it much thought, but I suppose you’re not a terrible person to spend time with.”

Kuro laughs. “Wow, what a compliment!”

Kenma sighs. “You’re loyal to the Grand King, and your advice tends to yield good results when the king follows it, which means you’re smart. You can apparently read me pretty well, despite my best efforts to hide my true intentions, and so that means you’re perceptive.”

Kuro fans himself. “All these pretty words! You’re going to make me blush!”

Kenma frowns. “You’re also annoying as hell and cocky and you try too hard to appear ‘cool’ which just makes you look stupid,” he adds before Kuro can get too big of a head about it.

But Kuro doesn’t appear bothered by this, as he’s leaning toward Kenma, still grinning. “You don’t mind it that I’m annoying and cocky, though. You like my stupid attempts to look cool, because you like me.”

“Shut up,” Kenma instructs, before he takes a handful of Kuro’s robes and yanks him forward, kissing him flat on the mouth.

He feels Kuro’s sharp inhale of surprise, but he squeezes his eyes shut and presses harder into him. Kuro’s hand wraps around his wrist where he’s holding onto him, warm and firm, and he strokes the back of Kenma’s hand with his thumb, as he returns the kiss.

The noise of the roaring wind and tumultuous rain seems to fade, as suddenly all of Kenma’s senses are filled with the sound, smell, and feel of Kuro. He can hear the pounding of his own heart in his ears, smell the scent of earth and water on Kuro, feel the warmth of his body surrounding him, as Kuro moves closer, forcing Kenma back onto the floor of the cave.

His mouth is hungry, kissing Kenma deeper with longing, as his tongue passes through the small opening Kenma gives him, hot and wet and exploring every inch of Kenma’s mouth. Kenma moans at the sensation, giving into it, allowing his defenses to fall just this once.

“Kenma.” He breaks from the kiss with a gasp, opening his eyes to meet the hooded ones of Kuro above him, dark with desire. “M-my name. It’s Kenma.”

Kuro’s lips tilt into a smile, and he smooths Kenma’s hair back from his face. “Kenma,” he repeats softly, caressing the name in his deep voice as though it’s something precious.

It’s embarrassing, and Kenma kisses him once more to keep him from saying it again. Kuro doesn’t protest, but instead welcomes the new kiss, allowing his own lips to part for Kenma’s searching tongue.

Outside, lightning sparks fire across the sky and thunder shakes the cliffside, but Kuro and Kenma don’t notice, lost in each other and the growing heat inside the safety of the cave.

**Author's Note:**

> ((kenma secretly being a horned demon on oikawa/kuroo's side of the FHQ "war" is nagisaizumi's headcanon!))
> 
> https://shions-heart.tumblr.com/


End file.
